Daily Current Affairs 13th March, 2020

Daily Current Affairs 13 March 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Health Ministry releases comic for COVID-19 awareness among kids
Health Ministry released a comic developed by PGIMER and Panjab University on Coronavirus to make the children aware and make them understand how to prevent infection

• This comic ‘Kids, Vaayu and Corona: Who wins the fight?’ is a brainchild of Dr.Ravindra Khaiwal and Dr.Suman Mor. It can be downloaded from the website (mohfw.gov.in/corona_comic_PGI.pdf).

Centre releases coronavirus helpline for states, UTs
The central government released a list of helpline numbers for all the states and Union Territories (UTs) to assist the people amid the coronavirus scare.

• According to the list, which was put up on the official website of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, people in the national capital can dial 011-22307145 for assistance.People can also call 18001805145 in Uttar Pradesh, 020-26127394 in Maharashtra, 0755-2527177 in Madhya Pradesh, 3323412600 in West Bengal, 8558893911 in Haryana and 04712552056 in Kerala.
• Those in Odisha can dial 9439994859 to avail assistance regarding coronavirus.On the other hand, people who are in Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Punjab, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep and Puducherry can call 104.The helpline numbers for Meghalaya and Mizoram are 108 and 102, respectively.

Home Ministry constitutes two special committees to fasten CAPF works
The Union Home Ministry has constituted two special committees to specifically deal with issues and approvals related to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) that render a variety of internal security duties in the country, including border guarding.

• The first committee will be headed by the Home Secretary and will deal with issues that are to be decided between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and these forces, the second will be headed by the Secretary (Border Management) and will only deal with procurement matters.

Maha: 15% discount in autorickshaw fares from noon to 4 pm
The Maharashtra government has approved the implementation of “happy hour” for autorickshaws, slashing the fare prices by 15 per cent between 12 pm and 4 pm as recommended by Khatua panel.

• It has, however, rejected the four-member panel’s recommendation about the same for local “kaali-peeli” cabs and app-based taxis.

LPG scheme PM Ujjwala Yojana closed, but only 3 States have become kerosene-free
A parliamentary committee headed by BJP member Ramesh Bidhuri has said only three States and five Union Territories have become kerosene-free, though the government in September last met the target of eight crore LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

• Only three States — Haryana, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh — and the Union Territories of Delhi, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, Andaman & Nicobar Island and Puducherry have become kerosene-free.

Govt plans to have at least one PMBJP Kendra in each block of country by end of 2020
Union Government plans to have at least one Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya JanAushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) Kendra in each block of the country by end of 2020.

• This was stated by Union Minister of State in the Prime minister’s Office Dr.Jitendra Singh while participating in ‘Jan Aushadhi Diwas’ celebration inKathua.

• The government launched the PMBJP to promote affordable and quality generic medicines among the people.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India ranks better in Animal Protection Index 2020, but still needs improvements
India is one of the better-performing countries in the global Animal Protection Index 2020, created by international animal welfare charity, World Animal Protection.

• Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Austria are rated with the highest scores, which is encouraging
• The index ranks countries from A (being the highest score) to G (being the weakest score) according to their policy and legislation.India has attained a C ranking in the index, along with countries like New Zealand, Mexico, France, and Spain.

BANKING & FINANCE

ADB to provide $200 million to support strained supply chains in fight against COVID-19
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it will make available 200 million dollars for companies manufacturing and distributing medicines and other items needed to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

• The support from ADB, working in partnership with commercial banks, will provide such companies in Asia and the Pacific with additional working capital to meet expansion and other requirements

World Bank to provide USD 80 mn to improve water management in HP
The World Bank will provide USD 80 million (about Rs 600 crore) loan to improve water management practices and increase agricultural productivity in selected gram panchayats or village councils in Himachal Pradesh

• The Integrated Project for Source Sustainability and Climate Resilient Rain-Fed Agriculture in Himachal Pradesh will be implemented in 428 gram panchayats in 10 districts benefiting over 4 lakh smallholder farmers, women and pastoral communities

Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance launches iSelect+ Term Plan
Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Limited announced the launch of iSelect+ Term Plan to provide enhanced protection cover at an affordable premium.

• The plan is available online. With the help of iSelect+ Term Plan, subscribers can design their own financial safety net to protect their family’s future and ensure that they lead their lives comfortably without any financial worries.
• The insurer said in a statement that iSelect+ Term Plan is a highly flexible and customer-friendly term plan that can be aligned with life stages and requirements of the customers. It offers different options for not only coverage, but also for premium payment and benefit payouts.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

India Post launches free Digital Locker Service in Kolkata 
For the first time in India, the Department of Posts is introducing a free digital parcel locker service in Kolkata, West Bengal. It will enable customers collect their consignment from specified post offices at their convenience. in Sector 5 of Salt Lake City and another in New Town.

• It is expected to help the growing population of professionals who often miss out receiving parcels because they are away at work and have no one at home to receive the consignment.

GOKADDAL – World’s first Digital Solutions Exchange Cloud launched in India
GOKADDAL, world’s first Digital Solutions Exchange in the cloud has been launched in India.www.gokaddal.com is a one of its kind solutions aggregator, marketplace and cloud delivery platform with focus on four A’s: Automation, Artificial Intelligence, Analytics and Augmentative Technologies.

• GOKADDAL Technologies is a Dubai based emerging technology company, part of Merkado group which operates Merkado RHA Technology and Merkado RHA Services based at Bangalore. GOKADDAL is led by well-known Digital Disrupter and Industry expert, Ravinder Pal Singh, Ex Cisco and Dell Executive.

APPOINTMENTS

IDFC FIRST Bank names Amitabh Bachchan as Brand Ambassador
IDFC FIRST Bank has announced the signing of iconic Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, as its first-ever brand ambassador.

• IDFC FIRST Bank was founded as a new entity by the merger of IDFC Bank and Capital First on December 18, 2018. The Bank is rapidly transforming itself into a large and powerful retail banking franchise.

Latika Kundu Will Join MSE as MD & CEO
Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India (MSE), the third national stock exchange in India announced that the exchange industry veteran, experienced in setting new ventures Ms. Latika S. Kundu, who has been approved by SEBI, will be joining MSE as its MD & CEO on March 12, 2020. Ms.Kundu will be the first woman MD & CEO of MSE.

• Kundu has been a member of the board for the Institute of Banking & Finance’s (IBF), Capital Markets and Financial Advisory Services Examination Board (CMFAS) Singapore, an Expert Committee Member of the Capital Market Committee of the Bombay Chambers of Commerce & Industry (BCCI).

AWARDS

Tiger Woods elected to World Golf Hall of Fame as first member of Class of 2021
American golfer Tiger Woods will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2021.Woods, winner of 15 major titles, will be inducted in the male competitor category.Woods was among 10 finalists named in March as candidates for 2021.

• His 93 worldwide victories include a record-tying 82 US PGA Tour titles. He won his 15th major title at the Masters last April, ending an 11-year major drought after career-threatening injuries.
• Woods is a three-time winner of the career Grand Slam and in 2000-01 completed the “Tiger Slam” when he became the first golfer since Bobby Jones to hold all four major championship titles at the same time.

Mumbai-based animator makes mosaic portrait of Chhatrapati Shivaji, sets world record
A Mumbai-based animation artist Nitin Dinesh Kamble has made a world record by making a mosaic portrait of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the occasion of his birth anniversary as per the Hindu calendar in Mumbai’s Andheri.

• Nitin, who works as a high-tech animation in a private company, created the 10X8 feet portrait in 10 days using 46,080 plastic bits of six different colours.

OBITUARIES

Veteran Bengali actor Santu Mukhopadhyay passes away
Veteran Bengali actor Santu Mukhopadhyay who was known for his works in films such as ‘Sansar Simante’ and ‘Bhalobasa Bhalobasa’ died at his south Kolkata residence. He was 69.

• Born in Kolkata in 1951, Mukhopadhyay showed his class when he was in early 20s in films like ‘Sansar Simante’ and ‘Raja’ by Tarun Majumder and Tapan Sinha respectively.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Kidney Day
World Kidney Day (WKD) is celebrated every year on the second Thursday of March. It is the global awareness campaign to raise awareness of the importance of kidneys to our health and to reduce the impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide. 1 in 10 people is affected by kidney disease globally.

• This year’s theme is ‘Kidney health for everyone everywhere – from prevention to detection and equitable access to care’. 

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